the 41st hunger games: the Reaping
by La Solitudine
Summary: this the 41st hunger games. this story takes place in district one.
1. Chapter 1

The Reaping

Emeralds P.O.V.

The day of the reaping is today I am so scared, but I still wake up, get dressed, into a tuxedo shirt, but I leave out the jacket. I then put on some regular day jeans and my black converse. I slowly moan down my stairs, and then down my long hallway, until I reach my kitchen I, I see my whole family is there waiting there, they are all smiling at me, they even have a plate of stacked pancakes, which they never do. I then finally say, "Why are you all smiling, and why do you have my breakfast out?"

"Emerald", my mom starts "We are just so scared that you might get reaped today."

"I know mom, but this is my last year, at this dumb thing, and I'm pretty sure I am not going to be picked, because there is like a million other people in district one." I say already cutting the huge stack of pancakes.

"Hey", my little sister starts to say "You are not the only one that has a name in the jars I have one."

Man jade seems so confident in say those words its likes she wants to get picked, but before I can even say something so her, my mom rushes everyone out of the house. I walk with Jade in silence because I had really nothing to say to her. We finally reach the crowd, and I tell Jade to go in the line, were the other twelve year old girls were. I slowly walked my way over to were you get your finger pricked; it still hurt like a motherfucker. Then I walked down the aisle to were my friends were hanging around, one said that they will volunteer, but I think that was a joke because he never volunteered when he said that.

Crystal's P.O.V.

I wake up to this random beeping sound, and I just remembered that it was the microphone getting tested, so it wouldn't make any unusual sounds. I do not hesitate to get up this morning because this is the day I have been waiting for; this is the day I am going to volunteer, even though I am only sixteen years old. I open my closet and see this pink puffy dress that has the prettiest bow on it and has lots of sparkles, "perfect" I say and then I grab a pair of my mom's old heels. Oh I hope no one hears me because it is like 6:00 in the morning, but it is too late my older brother, Alexander, is standing in my doorway, with a grin in his face. "What", I say almost dropping my mom's shoes.

"Oh you know just checking if my little sister is going to be ok. So Crystal do you think you're going to be reaped or are you going to volunteer this year?"

"Duh, I'm obviously going to volunteer, gosh Alex I taught you knew that already." I say moving past him through the doorway.

"Ok but you got ten minutes to get ready." Then he leaves walking into the kitchen

"Really, you think I can get ready in ten minutes?" I quickly make my way into the bathroom; then I quickly take off all of my pajamas and easily slip on the dress. I then grab my brush and start combing my streak of gold hair. After I curl my hair and put on the heels, now that I look at myself I looks like I am as tall as my brother and he is like 5'8. I open the door and enter the kitchen, I look around and see that everyone's ready to go, Alex has a gray tuxedo on with a red tie, my sisters, Emma and Kristi, both have the exact same dress but Kristi's is red and Emma's is blue. My mom comes straight at me and pulls me into a hug, I have nothing to say to her, and so I just hug her back. "Guys", I start to say, "I love you and the reason why I'm going to do this is so that everyone can see how good I really am, and I am not that one dumb, pretty girl, but instead tough and strong. Also if I don't come back don't be sad because it is my choice for doing this and not the lady."

"Honey I love you too, but make sure you win, so we won't be crying when you die."

"Ok come on guys it is time to go." I say looking at my mom's face that is running with tears. I exit the house first with my family behind me. I walk side to side with Alex until we are finally there I give everyone a hug and everyone follows my mom to the side, because my sisters are both eight years old and Alex is too old for these games. I walk to the sixteen year old section and I stand next to my best friend Victoria Beckham. We wait in silence waiting for our escort Lydia Crimson. She comes out with blue and pink puffy hair and a blue suit, her face is very powered, with blue lips. Then she begins she says the same stuff she says every year and then she lets the mayor speak about what happened when we tried to rebel on the capital. Then Lydia comes back and says "like always ladies first" and she draws her hand in the jar she grabs a piece of paper then she carefully unravels the paper and reads the name "Crystal Couture!" I am shocked and surprised at the same time because I was going to volunteer I mumble to myself ok then, and I slowly walk my way up to the stage and I look straight at my family, and they are already crying into tears.

Emeralds P.O.V

I hear a girl named Crystal getting picked, and then I gulp because I know that she is going to be picking the boys next. She dips her hand in the jar really fast and pulls out any card she sees and then reads "Emerald Kors" I moan down the aisle and make my way up the stage when I hear someone call out "I volunteer as tribute" I look who said it and it is the most skinniest boy I ever seen in district one. "No, I have to take my place and I have a better chance of winning this than you do. Then without saying anything back at me he slowly walks back into the crowd, and I continue walking up the stairs.

"This is your district one tributes for the 41st hunger games, and may the odds be ever in your favor" she says and walks in to the justice building and we both follow and get sent to different room in there.

I get sent into a room with only a red long couch and I just wait until my family shows up. When they enter Jade runs straight to be a gives me a big hug then I say to my parents," It's going to be ok you lose me it's no big deal, but you won't because I am coming back to this place alive." We hug in silence until the peacekeeper comes in and says time is up. After that I wait for more people to come, but no one does.

Crystal and I walk in silence with our escort, for the most of it was very awkward, because who would want to talk, well once in a while Crystal and Lydia will be talking about something I don't know. When we finally reach the station I wave one last wave to my people and I go in the train.


	2. Chapter 2

The Chariot Ride

Crystal's P.O.V.

When I get into the train it is the nicest thing I ever seen; there are so many doors. I open the first door in front of me; it is a long hallway with about six doors on the wall I open one of the doors and it leads into a bedroom, so I exit and head into the next room, but before I can even reach the doorknob Lydia calls my name. I quickly come into the dining room and I see two new people, and I am guessing they are mentors.

"Crystal, Emerald" Lydia begins to say "I will like you to meet your mentors" first she points to a blonde, hair boy named Marc Hansen. Then she points to a girl with curly, blonde hair named Chanel Miller. "Ok, guys you will each pick a mentor. Go, go on don't be shy."

Emerald and I both exchange glances. After a while I speak up and say,"Um… I'll take Chanel." I picked Chanel because first of all she is a girl, and I think I saw her win the 37th hunger games but cutting off the district 2's boys arms and legs off, and burring all of his stubs so he'll die off because of starvation, and hydration.

"Ok, Emerald I guess you're getting Marc" Lydia says, and then she walks off, leaving me, emerald, Marc, and Chanel alone.

"So emerald I'll show you your room, and then we can talk, ok," Marc says and the both leave into the hall.

After they leave Chanel says, "I guess I should show you your room too." I followed her down the hall and then she opened the last door. I see the exact same bed that was in the other room, and we both sit on it. "You probably know that I won the 37th hunger games, so I want to know more about you before we talk strategy."

"Um, I'm Crystal Couture, and I have an older brother named Alexander, and I have two younger, twin sisters named Kristi and Emma. Excuse me I got to use the restroom, can you show me the way." She gets up and says that it's the third door down the hall, and I quickly trot there.

Emeralds P.O.V.

I sit quietly on my bed thinking of what Marc said to me, and then I stand up and head to the kitchen for breakfast, hoping I am not the last one, but sadly I am. I pull out a chair and grab all the food I can fit on my plate. I hear a noise, that almost sounds like the trains engines stopping, and then I realize were here at the capital, so I get out of my seat and look out of the window watching all of the capital people, jumping up and down to see the first district to arrive. Then Lydia says, "Come on guys you got a busy day ahead of you." I am very pissed off because I never even got one nit of the breakfast, so I sneak a sausage into my mouth, before I leave.

"Ok guys, you both have to listen to whatever your stylist says even if you don't like it you have to do exactly what they say."

So me and Crystal walk down the aisle and enter some building that looks like a salon. We wait until are prep team comes to get us. Crystal's prep team comes first, but shortly after mine arrives. I follow them down until they lead me into this room. One of them is a boy that has a green Mohawk with purple tips and blue dyed skin, another is a girl with her skin dyed hot pink, and her hair is neon green, and the last one is another girl that has regular skin but has strands of her hair dyed in all colors of the rainbow. "Don't worry everything will be fine." The guy says. They wax my legs, but I don't get the point of that, they wax my eyebrows, and they rub some coconut lotion all over my naked body. Then the pick skin girl says, "Dante will be here in a few minutes." Then they all leave the room.

"Hello I am Dante and I am your stylist. Now what will you like to wear for your costume?"

"I don't know?"

"Well I got an idea, that you will love." He says and exits the room and comes back in with a garment. "Go ahead open it"

I slowly get up and I grab the bag and pull the zipper down I see a light blue suit, but it had some big angel wigs, that had three different colors, purple on the top, dark blue in the middle, and a lighter blue on the bottom. So I take the trousers and slid it in and then put on the suit top on with the wigs hanging down, next to my side. After I put on all of the clothes on he puts on a little makeup to make my eyes standout. Then he tells me that the wigs are mechanical and they can flap up and down.

Crystal's P.O.V.

"Here," my stylist, Corren, says handing me a garment.

"Thanks," I say taking the bag. Then I unzip it and take out a light, blue dress that is short in the front and long in the back, it had some angel wings. Then she handed me a diamond necklace, and some light, blue and white gladiator shoes. She told me to put it on, and I did. Afterwards, she did my makeup, I had a light-touch of blue eye shadow, and then she put on a lot of mascara, after she put on a thick line of eyeliner. She curled my lashes; put some foundation on my skin. Corren grabbed a light, blue lipstick and pressed it against my lips; she then added some black dots on them. Finally she added five black and blue feathers right near my left eye. After Corren was done with my makeup she said that we needed to get going.

I followed her outside the building and I saw Emerald almost wearing the exact same costume as me. Our stylist let us rome around to talk to some other tributes, so Emerald and I went over to were district two and four were already talking. We barely had any time to talk, because we had to leave earlier than the other districts. Emerald and I walked back to our chariot, with the white horses. "Good luck," both mine and Emeralds stylist say, and I can see emeralds stylist holding some sort of button in his hand, and I am guessing that makes are wings move. Emerald grabs my hand, and I smile at him. I never even thought about Emerald, but I like something about him, but I can tell what, so I just hold his hand tighter. The gates begin to open, the music starts to play, and our horses start to move. Once we are out, I can hear the crowd cheering and roaring, and they get louder when our wings start to move up and down. I wave to the crowd, blow a few kisses, and for the rest of it I am laughing with Emerald, because he is talking about how crazy and dumb the capital is. When I am laughing with Emerald it's like the world had just stopped and he and I are the only ones left, and then are chariot stops and President Nickel comes out and says he big speech. Then all of the chariots start to move into the training center.

"You guys were amazing!" Lydia says hugging me then Emerald. "Come on guys lets go to our room, before the elevator gets crowded."

Our stylist both rush into the elevator with Lydia by their side. Me and Emerald tried to get in but some random people from district twelve, I think, pushes us aside. We waited until everyone was up already, until we were the last ones left, Emerald grabbed my hand, and we both walked into the elevator. I pushed the button one; because we are from district one. I opened my mouth to start a conversation, but before I can say one word, Emerald leans in a kisses me on the lips and then I don't even know what happed, but we were making out in the elevator, and our whole team is staring at us with amusement.

"Wow," Lydia says with her eyebrows raised, "Now wasn't that something!"


	3. Chapter 3

**The Training Center**

Emerald's P.O.V.

"Uh, it's not what it looks like." I say letting go of Crystal's hands.

"Well I assume that both of had a good time on the chariot," Lydia says pushing us both out of the elevator.

"Come on now," Crystal's stylist says, grabbing her hand and leading her in to her room.

"Well I better go get dressed into some different clothes." I open my door and walk toward the bed, so I can sit down, but once I do I sink into the bed, and I realize it's a water bed. After enjoying the bed I get up and go to one of the dressers and pull out a plain black shirt, and some dark tan shorts. I walk toward the bathroom, but I can't stop thinking about the kiss I gave Crystal in the elevator. _Did she like the kiss? Or did she just do it because she didn't want it to be awkward between us? No, Crystal likes me, because she leaned in. she didn't stop me, she let it happen. _I slid a comb through my hair and walked outside my room and yet, again I am the last one to get there.

"Nice of you to finally join." Lydia says smiling happily at me, "Well you better hurry up and eat because you got a big day tomorrow."

"Ok," I say receiving a glass of red liquid from an avox. When I put down the glass I see that everyone was looking at me.

"Well go ahead, take a sip," Lydia says with a devilish smile on her face.

I grab the bottom of the glass and I slowly take a sip. It taste sour and sweet, and when I look up I see pretty much all of the adults whispering to each other. "What?"

"Emerald I don't think you should drink that, it'll make your head hurt and I don't think you can handle it," Crystal says with a worried look on her face.

I yawn and say, "No, no I can handle it," and I take another sip.

I wake up and I'm still in the same clothes I wore last night, and I am sleeping on the floor near the dinner table. I get up a quickly glance at the clock and I see that the time is 7:36 and I quickly trot to my room and I see a black jump-suit laying on my bed, so I grab It and take it into the bathroom. I turn the shower to the hot side; I scrub my hair and wash it out. I then dry myself and slip on the suit, comb my hair back and walk out the door just in time to make it to breakfast. I realize I'm finally the first one there, but then I hear a voice, "Hey, you woke up? I didn't think you would after you drank so much of that wine." I snap my face to were the voice was coming from and I see Marc leaning against the wall.

"What happened when I was out?"

"Well nothing barely happened, just Crystal and Channel were talking about their strategies and Lydia and both your stylist were drinking all they could, until they passed out."

"Hi Emerald, ready to go?" Crystal asks me.

"Uhh… Ya." I quickly stand up almost falling out of my seat, but I catch myself; then I meet up with Crystal at the elevator.

Crystal's P.O.V

I grab emeralds hand, and smile when he looks at me. It was quiet for ten seconds and then the elevator open and I quickly let go of Emeralds hand and walk toward district two, the first district to be there.

"Nice of you to show," a girl with her hair up, that was black, said with a smirky grin, "I thought we were going to be the only tributes here, isn't that right Ares?"

"YES! It is Persephone," Ares, a boy with black hair, and also wearing a black beanie, says it loud, and in a friendly tone then he continues, "When are the other tributes going to come? I want to stab something already."

Five minutes past and Pearl, and Sebastian, the tributes from four, enter and join are little circle. Then all of the districts enter, and everyone is waiting for Sisley to arrive to give the rules of the training, like not to avoid the survival, and not to hurt anyone else, but I guess everyone zones out because of their facial expressions, but she doesn't come out. When she doesn't come out I can see in the corner of my eye Ares is yelling at district twelve because they were holding everyone from training. Then Sisley says her speech and then she releases us.

"Hey Crystal, want to go to the archery station with us?" Pearl says in a low voice that is so calm.

"Um…" I begin to say, then I look back at Emerald to see if it's ok for him, and he nods, "Ya." I walk with Persephone and Pearl over to the archery station and I see a little girl with brown hair there, she grabs the bow and selects her first arrow, she draws back the bow string and shoots, the arrow lands past the target, barely scrapping the edge and Persephone bursts out a small chuckle.

"Move, bitch, and watch how it's really done," Pearl literally grabs the bow out of her hand and pushes her out of the way, and Persephone is laughing the whole time that her face turns red and she starts to form tears. She quickly grabs an arrow; she puts the arrow on the string and pulls back as far as she can and releases. The arrow goes straight into the red circle and Pear says, "That's how you really do it."

Persephone shoots the arrows on the outside of the red circle and she tries to get it on the target, but she only makes one. Then it my turn I'm not all good at it, but I guess I make it sometimes. Sisley calls us all in because its lunch. Persephone, pearl, and I walk towards a cart to grab a sandwich, then we sit on the bench were Emerald, Ares, and Sebastian are. "So what did you guys work on?"

"Well first we went to the spear throwing station, and Sebastian was hogging all the spears, so Ares was telling me how lame the other districts are the whole time; until Ares ditched me and was sword fighting with a trainer, and Ares won two out of three against the guy. I was getting board so I went to the wrestling station where I versed other tributes and it was easy until, and guy that I think was from seven came and beat me" emerald says taking bites in between some sentences.

The bell rings and we all head to the Knives station were Persephone was kicking ass. After a day of training Sisley calls us in and says we have two more days of training until we show the gamemakers what are skills are. We head up the elevator and when the door opens I ran to the couch and lay flat on it and I drift to sleep. _I am standing in the middle of this beach and I see a guy with spiky, brown hair digging out an axe out of a blonde hair boy, no, wait its..its…its Emerald, I land on my knees and start to burst in tear's I take one glance up and I see the boy walking slowly at me and I scramble away, and run through the jungle, and I find a backpack, so I grab it, but I fall to the ground and I cough up a chunk of blood; and the next thing I know is that I see is pitch black, only pitch black._


End file.
